DE GUICHE:
Have you read 'Don Quixote'?
CYRANO:
I have!
DE GUICHE:
Then I counsel you to study the windmill chapter!. . . windmill sails may sweep you down into the mud!. . .
CYRANO:
Or upward - to the stars!

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Hot Chips and a Coke

In this time of food phobiaeating hot chipsis a schoolboy delightCarrying fries in a paper cupwrapped in a grease-stained bagI can feel the glaresstretched out frommy peers and peopletwice my ageAre they silentlychastising mefor being so irresponsible -raising my cholesterol -anything that feels oily probably is -as my doctor saysOr are they hungeringafter my tasty bonanzarebuking my flippant disregardfor their shoulder-to-steeljourney north to theirmeat-and-three-vege wife husband kidsDon't worry I'm heading there tooJust stopped on the way to smellthe smoking oil and crackling fatDon't I care thatI'm staring death in the facesneers one boney manin a suit with aNY Marathon backpack

At least I don't smoke or base jump

People from the North Shorewho wear suitsdon't eat hot chipsand drink cokeon trains

They might steal a snort on a furtive breakor claim they need a caffeine-hit-fast-fillon the weekend with matesbut on the train in peak hour -you watch them -they don't -

but they wish they could -occasionally...

it would bring backall the freedom and escapeof after-school hourswaiting for the buseating chipsin pulled-down tiesshrugged-shirts ruffled-hairjumping and laughingstealing a smoke